Who is Riding this
Moral High-horse?
by Jenny
Recently, the Courier Mail ran a story in its Federal Parliament news section.
I personally took a double take of the photo. It wasn’t, on closer examination, our Prime Minister sans clothes straddling a male, but her TV look-alike Amanda Bishop.
Similar reports appeared across the nation, in the print media, declaring a “national outcry” due to the lack of respect (Devine, 2011). Was there really such moral panic? Was it a free plug for an ABC comedy? According to The Daily Telegraph, the show rated highly. Even the Prime Minister was planning to watch (she clearly wasn’t bothering to ride the ‘moral high-horse’)!
Interesting is the blasting the ABC satire At Home With Julia received from MPs from both sides. I suppose they were riding their ‘moral high-horses’...
Anne Caldwell reported it would air that evening - regardless of “calls for the show to be axed”…
Leading the charge was John Forrest MP who described the scene as “sick” (Caldwell, 2011).
So what was the fuss about???
While having sex,
in the P.M.’s office...
Two separate issues!
Set protocols surrounding the use of our flag exist. Therefore, it is understandable that this would make some viewers see red – as the parents of fallen soldiers did.
The flipside is the lack of respect toward our Prime Minister.
Really???
From Channel 9’s Today Show, it seems to me, the real Julia got it right. This so-called “National Outcry” became a “No Comment” for our PM. She added she wasn’t interested in making a comment to cross promote the show (news.com.au, 2011b).
With calls for investigating ABC funding by some sick of being offended; others simply say if you feel that way – turn the show off!
Bronwyn Bishop reminded other Liberals of political satires John Howard copped…
Political satires are nothing new. Undoubtedly the moral panic surrounding them are no different! They’ve appeared in film and on television for years, and not just in Australia.
[Blogger Neerav Bhatt notes his favourites claiming they’re “equal opportunity offenders… revealing their (individual’s and organisation’s) hypocrisy and stupidity while also informing and entertaining their audience”] (Bhatt, 2008).
Prior to this, politicians were often satirised in print in cartoons; including our first Prime Minister!
So whilst politicians behave as they do, within (and out of) the public forum, they’ll always provide meaty subject-matter for satirists. And it’ll always get up someone’s nose, perhaps enough to bridle the ‘moral high-horse’.
That’s for certain!
ABC. (2011). At Home With Julia. ABC Television, Retrieved October, 7, 2011, from http://www.abc.net.au/tv/programs/athomewithjulia.htm
Australian Government. (2009). Australian political cartooning - a rich tradition. Australia.gov.au Retrieved October 7, 2011, from http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/austn-political-cartooning
Australian Government. (2010). It's an Honour: Symbols: Australian National Flag. It's an honour: Australia celebrating Australians Retrieved October, 7, 2011, from http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/about.cfm
Bhatt, N. (2008). The Best Satirical Comedy from Australia and America. Rambling Thoughts Blog Retrieved 7 October, 2011, from http://www.bhatt.id.au/blog/the-best-satirical-comedy-from-australia-and-america/
Caldwell, A. (2011, September 21). Sex scene flags support for Gillard. The Courier-Mail.
Devine, M. (2011). ABC crosses the boundary with sitcom At Home with Julia Perth Now Retrieved October, 7, 2011, from http://www.perthnow.com.au/abc-crosses-the-boundary-with-sitcom-at-home-with-julia/story-fn6mhct1-1226143777928
Microsoft. (2011). Gillard TV sex scene airs on MSN Video. ninemsn.video Retrieved October, 7, 2011, from http://video.au.msn.com/watch/video/gillard-tv-sex-scene-airs/xcbmrew?cpkey=06c5c401-8164-4b44-abe1-107dbda9f1ed%7C%7C%7C%7C
National Film and Sound Archive. (2006-2011). Edmund Barton and the Velvet Soap Advertisement: Australian Studies, White Australia Policy. National Film and Sound Archive Retrieved October, 7, 2011, from http://dl.nfsa.gov.au/module/1100/
News Limited. (2011). Sitcom disgusts soldiers' families Adelaidenow.com Retrieved October, 7, 2011, from http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/national/sitcom-disgusts-soldiers-families/story-e6frea8c-1226143143761
news.com.au. (2011a). Sex scene flags support for Gillard: Related Articles. News Retrieved October, 7, 2011, from http://search.news.com.au/related/id%3Astory_1226142091423/0/Sex-scene-flags-support-for-Gillard/?us=ndmnews&sid=2&as=news&ac=travel&r=related
news.com.au. (2011b). Video: Gillard on that naked flag scene. News Retrieved October, 7, 2011, from http://video.news.com.au/2137577147/Gillard-on-that-naked-flag-scene
The Daily Telegraph. (2011). At Home With Julia spoof draws ire over Aussie flag sex scene The Telegraph.com.au Retrieved October, 7, 2011, from http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/at-home-with-julia-spoof-draws-ire-over-flag/story-e6freuy9-1226141206678
The Punch Team. (2011). Gillardflagmain.jpg. The Punch Retrieved October, 7, 2011, from http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/uploads/Gillardflagmain.jpg
Wikipedia®. (2010). Category:Political satire films. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Retrieved October, 7, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Political_satire_films
Wikipedia®. (2011a). Amanda Bishop. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Retrieved October, 7, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanda_Bishop
Wikipedia®. (2011b). Category:Satirical television programmes. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Retrieved October, 7, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Satirical_television_programmes
Wikipedia®. (2011c). Gender role Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Retrieved October, 7, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_role
Wikipedia®. (2011d). Moral panic. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Retrieved October, 7, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_panic
Wikipedia®. (2011e). Repect. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Retrieved October, 7, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Respect
It often surprises me that people in the public eye – politicians, sports and media stars are so often taken aback when they are represented in the media in a less than flattering light. In this case of Julia Gillard it really was a pleasant surprise to find her not using this as a opportunity to take the moral high ground or promote a political agenda. This reference is an excellent example of the media creating its own moral panic over a something that is produced in the media Sometime I really have to question if these type of outrages are deliberately generated just to sell newspapers and to promote film and television shows- thus improving ratings.
ReplyDeleteThe genre of satirical television shows continues to be very popular and is always testing new boundaries. The 7.00pm Report on Channel 10 is a recent very popular addition. This show takes the news of the day and makes amusing comments about it with the politicians – especially Tony Abbot being particular targets.
However rather than ignoring the show as was the case with the Courier Mail article and the ABC satire, the politicians seem to lining up to a part of the show with Kevin Rudd and John Hewson being just two of the recent celebrity hosts.
It seems it is becoming more trendy to laugh at oneself. We’ll see if it pays off in the next election.
By Sue
Satire is a popular feature of Australian television and if you are going to be a politician in Australia then you can expect to be made fun of at some time. Former Prime Ministers, including Kevin Rudd and John Howard, were favourite targets of political satire shows. Satire can be an important form of commentary on political issues and debates.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I do object to this episode. I find it sadly reflective of the Australian media’s trivilalisation of women’s roles in politics that in this episode of the comedy show about our first female Prime Minister the focus is on her sexuality (Simms, 2008). I can’t recall an Australian television program focussing on the (imagined) sex life of a former male Prime Minister while he was in office.
The media in Australia treat female politicians differently from their male colleagues and traditional gendered roles are still promoted (Jenkins, 2002; Simms, 2008). For instance, Julia Gillard was often criticised in the media before she became Prime Minister because she chooses to remain single and childless (Simms, 2008).
Jennifer Pozner was talking about American media when she said the following however it is just as applicable here in Australia: “the fact that media are so limiting and media are so degoratory to the most powerful women in the country, then what does it say about media’s ability to take any woman (in America) seriously?” (in Newsom, 2011).
I understand why Julia Gillard made no comment about this episode. She wouldn't want to dignify it with a response. Besides, she was probably worrying about a few more serious issues like the carbon tax and asylum seeker policies.
References
Jenkins, C. (2002). The more things change: Women, politics and the press in Australia. ejournalist. Retrieved from http://ejournalist.com.au/ejournalist_v2n1.php
Newsom, J. (2011). Miss Representation -Trailer [video]. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=2349117563337
Simms, M. (2008). Women’s politics and leadership in Australia and New Zealand. Signs 34(1), 32-36. DOI: 10.1086/588503
Thanks Sue and Astrid!
ReplyDeleteI must admit I really enjoyed listening to Julia Gillard when she was on the Hamish and Andy show - she really displayed a natural sense of humour - taking their antics all in her stride.
There is a really interesting article I came across regarding Political satire - Bye, S. (2008). The Gillies Report and unsustainable political satire. It covers the Rubbery Figures - remember them?